brrfandomcom-20200214-history
SOTA c58s02
Text Ponyville was on high alert, and Cowlick had ordered not only further fortification, but work on the White Matter facility to be continued day and night. Celestia approved of the latter but was worried the former wouldn't help much: they weren't dealing with an army at the gates, after all, but a very determined Replicant and his... whatever they were. Considering the way they acted and how Thesis seemed to treat them, 'hunting dogs' didn't seem too far off the mark. Luna had grudgingly agreed to spend at least the next few nights at the library with Twilight and Innocence: Thesis, after all, seemed prone to outbursts of anger that were very destructive, given his power and authority, but then he calmed himself and once more tried to make some half-peaceful, half-aggressive, but overall much less emotional gesture or attack. If after a few days nothing happened, then if Twilight felt comfortable with it, they could head back out to the cottage... but making themselves a clear target when the Replicant might go into a fit of anger at Kismet's failure wouldn't just be rash, but foolish. Antares, Avalon, Sleipnir and Pinkamena were all part of the detail assigned to patrol Ponyville, and Twilight lived in what was a lot like a little bubble for almost a week. But she hated living in a state of fear, and Innocence picked up on all the activity and worry around her and started to get upset with it, too. So the Lich promised herself and her child that they would push through this for a little while longer, but then if things were still safe, they'd return to life as normal. She refused to live in fear. After another week when nothing happened, Twilight gently but firmly said she wanted things to... go back to normal, for lack of a better word. She wasn't going to do anything stupid, but she also wasn't going to spend her life hiding away, waiting for Thesis to pounce. She wasn't going to lock her baby away from the world, she wasn't going to become nothing but a burden and anchor to Luna and Scrivener, and she wasn't going to stop living her life just because someone wanted to hurt her and her child. Thesis wanted to hurt Luna and Scrivener too, and they faced the world boldly, brazenly, every single day. Celestia had eventually relented, but insisted on still being careful, which the Lich understood. And she was grateful for the added protection around Ponyville, and honestly happy that Celestia had even gone to speak to the Strange Ones nearby about possible 'invaders.' The Strange Ones were the guardians of this world, called 'Skin Walkers' by the older inhabitants of this plane and creatures who were... distant, but not uninterested in the world around them. Their nearest settlement had been destroyed long ago by the same destruction entity that had plagued Ponyville and Antares, but they had rebuilt it in a matter of days only a few years ago and resumed life there as if no massive attack had ever happened, trading with ponies and always willing to give their aid whenever true dangers arose. If they could even at least warn them of whenever the Replicants or their forces entered their layer, it would be more than enough to help. They could be prepared that way, and Twilight nodded a little to herself as she quietly strode out of the gates of Canterlot beneath the evening sky, tossing a small smile to the guards on duty but not slowing down. Hanging from one side of her body was a baby bag, and on the other was bundled-up, blanket-wrapped Innocence, who had a cute little stuffed dragon toy in her carrier with her, secured by a piece of string so she didn't lose it on the long road back to Ponyville. She was sleeping quietly, and the Lich was glad for it: the poor baby had suffered through a long day of being tested and looked over by Selene, and the seventh-month old had been a little scared of the Nephilim... not that Twilight could blame her poor little girl at all. She had been originally thinking of spending the night at Burning Desire's palace, since she got a little creeped out being in the Thorn Palace alone with Selene possibly wandering the halls... but all Twilight really wanted right now was to go back home, long walk or not, and see Luna and Scrivener. Now that she was no longer pregnant, her body wasn't rotting apart anymore after extended periods of long separation from them, but it felt like... her soul rotted without them around. “That was just bad.” Twilight smiled a little to herself, shaking her head as she began to make her way slowly down the winding mountain pass, gazing off into the distance. She thought she could see the lights of Ponyville in the distant darkness, but that might just be hopefulness on her part, or the light reflecting off the snow, or... a thousand other things. But she'd take any little glimpse of home, real or not right now, until she got there. It helped motivate her to keep moving. She laughed a little to herself: here she was, a mighty, terrifying Lich, soulbound to a Valkyrie and a Clockwork Pony, and yet her own little filly was enough to run her ragged. Now she got what Luna and Scrivener had meant about Antares' early years, and felt rueful about all those times she'd always thought to herself 'it can't really be that hard.' She shook her head a little, then gazed around at the frost-speckled world around her. It was a beautiful evening, at least... behind her, Canterlot was all lit up with lights but framed against the moon, and all around her the snow was reflecting the light of the stars above, making everything sparkle quietly. The path was smooth and clear as the eye could see, and she felt like it was just her and her baby out here, all alone in the wide, wild world... Twilight smiled softly, closing her eyes, before the wind whispered by. It seemed to carry words on it, and the Lich let herself relax slowly, shrugging off the stress of the day before she felt the wind on her face again... then another pulse... then another, forming a steady beat, and that sound was rising and falling with it in rhythm, and... her hooves weren't making that crunching in the snow... The Lich slowly opened her eyes, trembling a little as she halted and stared to the side... and there, floating beside her, was a polished set of enormous teeth and a tongue, lolling hideously out of thin air. But they weren't alone, oh no: there was a set of eyes there, as this invisible thing panted roughly right into her face, standing beside her as Twilight trembled violently before those huge teeth twisted slowly into a horrible grin, and the monster's features bled into reality after a few moments. Stitched and terrible, the massive staples helping hold it together glinted malevolently in the starlight as the enormous monster leaned over her, whispering softly: “Rock-a-bye baby, in the tree-top... when the wind blows... H-Heaven must... drop...” Twilight staggered forwards, and Cheshire grinned at her all the wider, drool dripping from his jaws as he continued in a voice that picked up with eagerness and hunger: “W-When the gates break, then Heaven... will fall... and Hell will claim the baby... soul and all!” Cheshire threw his head back and laughed wildly, and Twilight screamed as she turned towards Ponyville, towards safety, and bolted. She sprinted faster than she had ever run in her entire life, and yet she heard the monster's jaws snapping at her tail, heard its broken hooves ripping up the snow behind her as it roared furiously, echoing through the night as Twilight screamed again and turned her eyes desperately forwards, her horn glowing brightly as she shrieked a mental alarm over the sounds of Innocence beginning to cry- In Ponyville, Luna and Scrivener both went from laughing and talking with Celestia at the table in the library to suddenly rigid and still, their features paling before the sapphire mare snarled in fury, her eyes glowing before she slammed her hooves down into the surface hard enough to crack it, and Nightmare Moon's voice roared from her jaws: “No! The coward dares attack our beloved, our child! We shall rip it apart and feast on its shrieking soul!” “What's happened? Is Twilight in danger?” Celestia asked sharply, leaping to her hooves, and Luna snarled as she bolted up from the table with Scrivener, both beginning to run to the door... but a moment later, Celestia stomped a hoof as her horn glowed, amplifying the sound into a thunderous boom that made both Luna and Scrivener stumble and look back towards her. Celestia only looked calmly at Luna, who gritted her teeth before the sapphire mare nodded shortly, cursing under her breath. “Aye... it... it is the one called Cheshire, the...” Luna snarled and slammed a hoof against the ground, cracking the floor, but in spite of the burst of rage, the way her mane was sparking violently, she seemed to be getting herself more under control. “The damned indestructible guard-dog! He will tear Twilight apart!” “Twilight is fast... even if she can't fly with Innocence strapped to her, she can use her magic to give herself an advantage.” Celestia said quietly, and the ivory mare closed her eyes for a moment before saying quietly: “We'll lure the monster into a trap. There's risk involved, but we have an opportunity here to bring down one of these Replicants. I say we use it, and put the White Matter to its first test as well.” “Damnation, Celestia, thou... damn thee!” Luna shouted, and then she clenched her eyes shut and cursed, steeling herself before looking over at Scrivener Blooms, who nodded quickly before closing his eyes and bowing his head, concentrating on Twilight while Luna asked through grit teeth: “What does thou propose? Speak quickly.” “Twilight can lure it towards Ponyville, into a purification trap that I'll set up as quickly as possible. While I do that, you speak to Cowlick and have her ready the White Matter and anything she has that can help us get that White Matter into Cheshire. Then you can have that Valkyrie justice your blood is calling for, Luna.” Celestia explained in a steady voice, and Luna bared her fangs in a cold, ruthless grin as Celestia's own frame trembled ever so slightly with fury, as her eyes burned with rage beneath their calm, cold irises. “But Sleipnir and I will step in if it becomes necessary.” “No. Oh no, no, Scrivener and I can deal with Cheshire. Do not fear that.” Luna replied darkly, looking towards the stallion as he grimaced and nodded, even as he relayed the plans to Twilight Sparkle, and felt her terror... but she was willing to do it. She was keeping just ahead of Cheshire, and the stallion gritted his teeth at how fast they were moving before Luna said sharply: “Thy time is short, Freya. I recommend thou moves quickly.” “Then spread word and get yourselves ready, Brynhild.” Celestia replied evenly, and the two mares strode forwards and traded a tight, fierce embrace for a moment, before turning and moving quickly into their duties, Scrivener gritting his teeth as he felt Twilight's fear and pain and need to protect her daughter... and that dark, growing fury... Twilight ran: it was all she could do, even as her horn glowed brightly and she snapped it forwards every now and then, blindly creating spikes of ice behind and around her, trying to slow down the monster pursing her. But Cheshire only plowed straight through anything that got in his way, snarling and smashing apart solid ice with barely a stagger. His black blood splattered over the path every now and then, but wounds closed almost as quickly as they formed, whimpers transformed into growls the moment they were made. At her side, Innocence was screaming and sobbing, the baby terrified out of her mind, and it drove Twilight's frantic energy higher and was fueling not just all her maternal, protective instincts, but anger. Hatred even, as her stitching flexed and she gritted her sharp teeth, fighting back every urge in her body to turn around and just inflict as much pain on this monster as she possibly could for threatening her and worse, her poor, sweet little girl... Twilight dared a glance back, and her eyes widened in horror at the sight of Cheshire running up close beside her, his jaws opening wide as he leaned in towards Innocence before he suddenly pounced... and the stitches over Twilight's features snapped as she skidded around in a half circle, her eyes and horn glowing brightly as she snarled: “Get away from her!” A black fireball was launched from her horn and into Cheshire's features, exploding with a massive, terrible bang that knocked Twilight skidding further backwards and seared the flesh from her own face. Cheshire was launched away with a scream, a meteor of black and crimson flames that slammed down into the snow and rolled violently several times before he managed to catch himself, clawing wildly at his body as he shrieked in misery and pain as his flesh was eaten rapidly away. But the mire vomiting out of his wounds was already quenching out the deadly, raging flames, and Twilight cursed as she spun around and bolted. Ponyville was visible in the distance now, there was a good chance she could make it, especially with the head start she now had. She risked a glance over her shoulder, charred string falling away from bare skull revealed from the blast, but she didn't even feel the injury as she searched wildly for any sign of Cheshire- The beast appeared in a crackle right beside her, leaping at her with a roar and still smoking violently, and Twilight shrieked as she leapt to the side and snapped her horn out: the telekinetic blast knocked Cheshire skidding away, but the insane monster gave a twisted grin before it vanished from sight... everything except for those grinning teeth and glowing eyes, and Twilight turned forwards and began to sprint with a curse, no longer trying to spot her invisible assailant, no longer able to do anything but pour all her energy into running as fast and hard for Ponyville as possible. Cheshire pursued her, flickering into being whenever he lunged at her or screamed a line of poetry or prose or fairy tale, but then quickly vanishing again: insane and broken or not, the monster seemed capable of some twisted reasoning. Twilight cursed under her breath as the creature flickered into being right behind her, biting at her tail, and she snapped her horn quickly to the side to knock it backwards with a short blast of telekinesis. The monster roared at her, and Twilight looked ahead before she saw how close Ponyville was: maybe two minutes, she could be through the open gates. And she could already sense the trap that had been set up across the road, feel the pure energy radiating off it, and the Lich gritted her teeth before she looked sharply over her shoulder as Cheshire flickered back into existence and howled at her back: “P-Poison! The apple was poison, not gift but murderous lie! Lie! Lie!” Her thoughts tore through Luna and Scrivener's minds, as they stood with Celestia in front of the gates and a row of ponies that included Antares, Avalon, Spike, Rainbow Dash, Sleipnir, and many others: all ready for battle, all ready to defend Twilight Sparkle. Not that Luna and Scrivener planned to leave enough of Cheshire around for anypony to play with... but... “It's right on her tail, Celestia!” “Relax, Scrivener Blooms. They're two kilometers away. Closing fast, but I trust Cowlick when she said she had a way to use the White Matter against Cheshire from a distance.” Celestia said calmly, glancing over her shoulder as she reached a hoof up to still her younger sister's trembling, as Luna's mane burned like blue flame and her soulstone horn pulsed with malicious light. “Twilight will be safe. And then you'll get your chance at retribution.” The two nodded, looking silently down the road, hearing from here the roars of the monster... and even where she was on top of the engineering building, looking across Ponyville towards the gates that faced on the road to Canterlot, Cowlick could hear the monster herself. A cigarette jutted from her muzzle and she was wearing goggles over her eyes, bandanna tied tight around her forehead as she snapped: “Hurry up!” “Done, boss!” wheezed one of the Nibelung laborers a moment later, stepping back from where he had bolted a large tripod to the roof, which was already locked tightly around the base of a massive, ominous barrel with a strange, spade-shaped ending to it. The rest of the weapon was covered by a blanket, but Cowlick shoved the Nibelung and pony workers out of the way as she approached, grinning coldly despite herself before she ripped the blanket back from the massive rifle. An enormous, wide clip was already plugged into the underside, next to the extended hoof trigger, and the shoulder stock was large and curved. The whole gun simply looked big, from the large scope set on top, to rectangular frame, to immense barrel, as Cowlick dropped into position behind it and rubbed a hoof over the body of the monstrous weapon, leaning up to look through the scope with a cold expression on her features. “It seems I just can't get away from making things that hurt people. Let's at least make sure they hurt the right people, then.” Cowlick muttered, gripping into the massive rifle and hating and loving how comfortable it felt as she worked the lever on the side of the rifle, feeding a round into the chamber before adjusting the scope and baring her teeth in a grin. “There you are. I made this baby just in case a Tyrant Wyrm or a giant metal monster showed up again, but let's see how Artemis handles against a soft target like you.” She slowly stroked the trigger, her eyes narrowing, senses heightening as the Nibelung workers watched the mare with awe, before she suddenly let out a short 'ha!' that was drowned out by the tremendous bang of the gun that followed... and kilometers away, Cheshire was interrupted in mid-roar by something that shot past Twilight with enough force to make the air ripple before it plowed into – and through – Cheshire's body with a massive blast of black mire, the monster yanked forwards from the momentum of the round to crash onto his face and roll stupidly several times to a halt. Cheshire gurgled, staring blankly at nothing as Twilight rushed ahead, and the Replicant shook himself out before he slowly clawed his way up to his broken hooves, a waterfall of black mire spilling out of the tunnel torn through his body even as he began to close and flesh to knit back together. But a moment later, a second shot smashed into him, knocking him staggering with a scream as most of his shoulder was ripped away, strings of black mire snapping into the air and waving back and forth almost as if in confusion before the wound started to close- A third round smashed into Cheshire, and this one didn't rip all the way through, instead leaving only a gaping hole in the beast's chest as he staggered, then roared, foam and black mire bursting from his jaws before he vanished from sight. Invisible, Cheshire loped drunkenly forwards, his wounds rapidly healing before the monster suddenly shrieked and staggered in mid-run, flickering back into visibility as white lines began to slowly spread through his flesh from wounds that hadn't entirely shut. He looked up, snarling, drool and black blood and foam dripping from his jaws as he locked on Twilight Sparkle, who was waiting ahead in front of a line of ponies, staring over her shoulder, and the monster began to charge again. Something smashed into the ground in front of him, sending up a splatter of snow and leaving a crater large enough he stumbled, and then another something smashed through one of his forelegs, almost ripping the limb completely off just below the shoulder in a burst of gunk and liquified bone, the beast rolling several times with a yelp before he landed in a sprawl. Cheshire panted hard, white lines spreading further and faster through his body, the monster gurgling as his wounds feebly, sluggishly tried to repair themselves. But the mire wouldn't completely bond, even as small chunks of broken bullet shrapnel were forced out of his maimed body, and he gurgled weakly before trembling in pain and agony as it yanked itself to his hooves, and screamed brokenly: “G-God made the lamb... but he also made the t-t-tiger!” Cheshire lurched forwards and into a circle formed by six large, glowing staves, and Twilight leapt past the row of ponies and gritted her teeth as she tossed one last look over her shoulder as there was a tremendous rumble, before the Replicant arched his back with a scream as he was caught up in a tremendous cyclone of purification that exploded out of the earth beneath his broken hooves, battering him back and forth and turning black mire into crumbling, brittle rock as the monster's eyes bulged in agony, head jerking wildly to one side, then the other. The staves forming the circular trap shattered one after the other as the tornado of purification sparked out of existence and left Cheshire shivering and stunned, and Celestia looked calmly ahead, Tyrfing glinting once on her back before the ivory winged unicorn said almost gently to Luna and Scrivener, who were both trembling with anger and adrenaline and violent need: “Go.” The two shot forwards without hesitation, racing side-by-side towards the helpless Replicant as he gurgled out ash and rock dust, his body pale and broken, the behemoth frozen like he was praying before Scrivener leapt forwards and smashed into Cheshire's stomach with one shoulder, then launched him viciously up into the air with an added blow from both front hooves. Cheshire shrieked, flailing uselessly as he was thrown above the earth pony's head before Luna launched herself off Scrivener's back and flew straight into the Replicant. Her hooves flew in a vicious barrage into Cheshire's face and chest, crunching in pale flesh as the Replicant howled in misery, driven backwards through the air and unable to do a thing to stop the mare as she snarled furiously. Then she suddenly drove both hooves in a tomahawk directly to Cheshire's face, knocking him flopping backwards... and into a double-kick from Scrivener's rear hooves, snapping Cheshire's spine and knocking him limply skywards again like a toy. And Luna drove forwards, her horn glowing and enhancing her strength as her wings carried her swiftly through the air, slamming hammer-blow after hammer-blow from her front hooves into Cheshire like he was a drum with so much force that the Replicant was knocked crashing and bouncing off the hard ground like a basketball right back into each followup, the monster howling in misery before Luna suddenly drove both rear hooves upwards into a double-kick into his gut, launching him above her head before she snapped her horn out with a blast of blue fire and telekinetic rage. Cheshire was launched screaming on a high arc, and Luna flipped her body to land on Scrivener's shoulders, the earth pony dropping low before springing high, and Luna leapt off him at the last moment to shoot like a rocket straight into the flailing Replicant. He was knocked hurtling further into the sky with a shriek before Luna's hooves and horn began to rip and smash against his body as she circled him rapidly, forcing the Replicant into a defenseless spin through the night sky and sending black blood raining down to stain the snow below. The sapphire mare seized Cheshire from behind before going into a steep drop, spinning violently several times before suddenly twisting her body and slamming all four hooves off Cheshire's back, knocking Cheshire's wildly-flipping body straight down into the ground. He smashed into the icy plains and bounced bonelessly backwards, gargling... but before he could even hit the ground again, both of Scrivener's rear hooves slammed into his face again, knocking him crashing and rolling backwards. After ten feet, Cheshire was halted as Luna dropped out of the sky on top of him, crunching him down into the ground on his stomach before she leapt back into the air as Scrivener ran forwards and swung a vicious uppercut into Cheshire's drooling, half-raised head, knocking the creature back into a sitting position before the earth pony snarled as he began to slam his hooves viciously back and forth into Cheshire's body, black blood and white poison gushing out of open wounds as bones snapped and Cheshire rocked on the spot like a training dummy, unable to even scream. Both of Scrivener's front hooves pounded into the stomach of the Replicant, knocking its head down, and the stallion followed up with several quick, vicious hooks to Cheshire's lowered face, hitting with so much force that several staples were torn out of his skull before the charcoal stallion dove forwards and tackled Cheshire onto his back, straddling him and slamming blow after blow down into the Replicant's face. Cheshire's eyes bulged with terror, screaming and gargling as his blood splattered up over Scrivener's body before he wildly attempted to claw at the stallion- Scrivener blocked the blow with one foreleg, then rolled sideways and smoothly twisted Cheshire's limb around, half-yanking, half-slamming the monster onto its stomach before Scrivener shoved Cheshire's own leg viciously backwards and up behind his head, snapping bones like branches as the monster screamed and rose his head... and in response, Scrivener only continued the beatdown, front hooves crashing down onto Cheshire's face before he finally slammed an uppercut into the underside of the monster's jaw and knocked it onto its back again. Cheshire lay in the black-blood-stained snow as Scrivener took a moment to pant in and out, stained with white and black. Luna landed nearby, snarling, then nodded sharply when Scrivener looked at her, and the earth pony stepped forwards and over Cheshire before Scrivener's hooves snapped apart into claws, and he seized Cheshire by the throat with one to yank his head upwards, as he brought the other back... He glared down at Cheshire, who looked back up with terror and agony and brokenness, the monster gurgling and spitting out foam and blood before he simply screamed and tried to yank free, grabbing weakly at Scrivener's foreleg with his broken hoof before he shrieked again, then turned his head away, trying to bury his face in the snow as he began to sob brokenly. Scrivener's claw dropped away from Cheshire's throat as this awful, terrible monster tried to yank itself away from him, gargling and bleeding, covered in hideous wounds they had inflicted over him among the scars, and the stitches, and the mutilations he had already suffered. He screamed and wailed in the frost, black tears leaking from his eyes as he gave hitching, horrible, agonized sobs, and the earth pony's raised claw wavered in the air as the charcoal stallion stood over him, before slowly beginning to lower his foreleg as Cheshire cried like a tormented child beneath him. Scrivener gritted his teeth... then blinked before he looked silently down at his own claw for a moment as Cheshire howled and tried to cover his face, weakly scrabbled at the snow, bled and shivered and looked up at him past his one working foreleg with... with terror. This miserable, pathetic... pony. It wasn't a monster, in spite of what it looked like, the broken poetry, the mutilation. This had once been... maybe still was... some poor, twisted pony... “Aw, hell.” Luna looked over at him, and Scrivener slumped, lowering his head before gazing across at her and murmuring: “I... I can't do it. I can't do it... look at him, Luna. Look at what we did to the poor bastard, after everything that Thesis did to him...” “I...” Luna opened her mouth... then looked down at the wretched, sobbing, terrified creature in the bloodstained snow. Cheshire was giving awful, hitching cries, sounded like he was trying to form words but was unable to babble out anything coherent, looked... simply... broken. Luna cursed under her breath as she looked at him silently, as Scrivener Blooms stepped back, and then she closed her eyes and nodded shortly once. They both stood over the bleeding body of the Replicant, streams of both White Matter and corruption dribbling from the awful wounds before Scrivener finally reached a claw forwards and silently touched Cheshire's shoulder. Cheshire screamed and tried to crawl away, but his broken foreleg wouldn't let him. He shrieked in terror of them both, and Luna and Scrivener both winced backwards as Cheshire began to sob again. Scrivener grimaced at this as Luna bared her teeth, but it wasn't with anger now, but pain... and guilt. Yes, there was definitely guilt there, too, as she asked almost desperately: “What... what do we do with the creature?” “I have an idea.” remarked a voice, and both ponies looked up with surprise to see Discombobulation standing beside Scrivener, the Draconequus calmly holding a sheet out towards the charcoal stallion as he said kindly: “Try this. It might at least help him shut up. It's not quite the same when you read it out loud as see it yourself, but I think he'll get the idea.” Scrivener blinked stupidly as he took the sheet of paper, as Cheshire's sobbing died down to frightened whimpers, the creature looking back and forth as it tried unsuccessfully to lift its broken body up, and the stallion looked down at this for a few moments. It was a poem, and not a poem he recognized, but after a moment he finally sighed and nodded, looking towards Cheshire. Cheshire looked back at him, leaning fearfully away, before Scrivener hesitated, then looked down at the poem and then back up, saying in a sudden burst: “If learned darkness from our searched world should wrest the rare unwisdom of thy eyes, and if thy hands flowers of silence curled upon a wish...” There was silence, Cheshire staring at him blankly for a few moments, and Scrivener winced a little before he blinked in surprise as the creature whispered: “To... t-to rapture... should surprise... my soul slowly which on thy beauty... dreams...” Scrivener hurriedly checked the poem page, reading out quickly: “Proud through the cold perfect night whisperless to mark, how that asleep whitely she seems whose lips the whole of life do guess...” “If g-god... should send the morning; and before my doubting w-window leaves... softly... to stir, of thoughtful... t-trees... whom night hath pondered o'er, and frailties of dimension to occur!” Cheshire sat suddenly up, his eyes almost glowing before he nearly shouted: “About us, and birds known, scarcely to sing!” He stared at Scrivener Blooms, rasping for breath, the whiteness beginning to drain away from his body, and the earth pony looked back, mouthing wordlessly before Discombobulation kicked him lightly, and the charcoal stallion dumbly checked the poem and finished: “Heart, could we bear the marvel of this thing?” “Likely not the way E. E. Cummings would have presented it himself, but a nice little reading all the same. Old poetry, great for bringing people together.” Discombobulation remarked with a thoughtful nod, and then he added casually: “He was much more talented than you, by the way, Scrivener Blooms. He could paint and he wrote many, many little poems.” “Good for him.” Scrivener muttered, and then he hesitated before passing the poem sheet back to Discombobulation. The glossy-black unicorn bit his lip, then he hesitantly stepped forwards and looked down at his claw, before closing it tightly back into a hoof and offering this to Cheshire. Cheshire whimpered a little, leaning back a bit and looking frightened despite the fact his body was healing as the last of the White Matter was bled out of him. His lower lip trembled, and black tears rolled down his cheeks before he slowly, uneasily looked down at his own broken front hoof, then hesitantly rose it and reached slowly for Scrivener's- “Cheshire.” said a cold voice, and both ponies and Discombobulation all turned to see Thesis standing some ten feet away, his eyes cold. Luna snarled and bared her teeth, leaping forwards in front of the broken behemoth... and a moment later, almost out of nowhere, Sleipnir and Celestia were at either side of her, and other ponies were already hurrying to join them. Thesis frowned at this, then he completely disregarded them and instead ordered: “Cheshire, stand and defend yourself. These are bad ponies. The bad ponies have something we need to fix the hurt. And you know what happens if you don't obey me. The hurt gets worse.” Cheshire whimpered and began to shiver violently, this huge, once-terrible beast looking like an abused, beaten child to Scrivener now, not like any monster... and the charcoal stallion snarled as he turned to step up beside Luna, as she spoke for all present: “Thou shalt not lay a single hoof upon him, creature. And thou shall leave this place immediately, or feel the full wrath of all present. We have much, much to repay thee for.” Thesis shook his head slowly at this, baring his teeth before he said darkly: “That is my... friend, I believe the term is. I am helping him the best way I can. His mind is gone and he is nothing but an animal lacking his higher functions, pain is the only way to control him. That is not my fault.” “So he spends his lifetime being tortured, and your solution to help him is to torture him more?” Scrivener asked with disgust, and then he shook his head and gritted his teeth. “You keep throwing him at us like he's a hunting animal, and yet you call him a friend?” “That is the capacity he's the most useful in.” Thesis replied like this was the most reasonable thing in the world, and then his eyes narrowed dangerously as the others all readied themselves. “Cheshire, I gave you an order. Are you a bad pony? Do I have to treat you like a bad pony?” Cheshire whimpered and tried to turn away, hugging himself and shivering, mumbling nonsense words and trembling hard before he started to slink slowly forwards, and Luna and Scrivener both reached a hoof back at the same time. Cheshire flinched as their hooves touched him, clenching his eyes shut and wincing away in fear... but then slowly opened them when they both stepped forwards, not just blocking his passage, but blocking him from Thesis. “'Tis our prisoner of war now, Thesis. Go get thine own.” “That sounds like a good idea, actually. And if you insist on pushing me, Luna, I know just-” Thesis was cut off as he was knocked staggering backwards by something smashing into his body, grunting in surprise before he frowned slowly and looked down at the hole in his chest. Slowly, white sludge bled out of the wound, and Thesis trembled violently before he reached up and touched this, and his expression went from confusion, to disbelief, to pain. He stumbled backwards, gasping and staring down at his hoof as he shook his head out, and the pistons on his back clanked, steam hissing up from them before his features contorted with anger, and he snarled furiously: “You cheating scum dare to hurt me?” Thesis shoved his hooves against the ground as the pistons on his back began to pump violently, steam hissing out of them as the ponies readied themselves, even as Cheshire screamed at the enormous tidal wave of black mire that ripped out of the earth and began to curl forwards... and then Thesis gargled, his eyes bulging in horror as white veins pulsed through his wounded chest, and he fell forwards in the snow, grasping at his breast as the sludgy wave of mire simply collapsed. The splash was enough to make the ponies wince back, but that was all as Thesis trembled in the snow before shoving himself backwards, stumbling fearfully away. He gasped for breath, trembling in visible pain before cursing and whispering: “This... this isn't over.” Luna leaned forwards with a snarl, but the pistons on Thesis' back began to pump again before the stallion seemed to simply vanish from sight... except there was a loud scream that echoed through the night a moment later, from the direction of Canterlot. Luna grinned widely before she began to leap forwards, but Celestia caught her by the shoulder and shook her head, saying quietly: “No. Let him go. We've shown him that we're not afraid of him, and we can hurt him. And if all of us try and go after him, he might double back to Ponyville... and we have... our prisoner to contend with now.” The sapphire mare grumbled at this, looking moodily up at Celestia before she sighed and nodded, grunting and saying distastefully: “I suppose thou art correct...” Her eyes roved over her shoulder to Cheshire, as Scrivener did the same, and the Replicant whimpered a little and drew uneasily back from them before the mare softened despite herself, silently studying the mutilated pony before she murmured: “Oh damnation.” Scrivener smiled faintly, wanting to echo the sentiment as he turned as well. Cheshire looked back and forth between them, then around at the other ponies, trembling a little, and Scrivener finally stepped carefully forwards, holding up a hoof and saying in a gentle voice: “Why don't you follow us, okay?” Cheshire only stared at him, and Luna sighed before striding quickly forwards. The Replicant immediately skittered backwards, half-dropping into the snow in terror, and when Scrivener looked at her flatly she only huffed in return, saying moodily: “I will have thee know that this is but a normal and understandable reaction to my might. Furthermore, I am telling thou now, Scrivy: thou art taking all the blame for this when Twilight yells at us later.” Scrivener only sighed and shrugged moodily, and Luna nodded firmly in response to this before she looked towards Cheshire as the other ponies remained quiet, the mare thrusting a hoof out towards the Replicant. Cheshire shifted uneasily, then murmured brokenly to himself before his mouth fell open as he leaned forwards, snuffling like an animal at her hoof. Luna made a bit of a face, but didn't draw her hoof back: instead, she carefully stepped forwards and touched Cheshire's muzzle, and even though the mutilated pony growled and whimpered and began to shiver, she didn't draw away but instead rubbed up its muzzle, muttering: “Oh shut up, great stupid brute.” Cheshire shrank his head a little bit as if he understood: at least the tone, if not quite the words. But slowly, his rumbling settled into uneasy, half-words and half-whimpers as Luna rubbed soothingly through his mane and along his skull, saying quietly: “There, see? I am not going to hurt thee anymore. But bear in mind that I could if I wanted to... but I shan't. I shan't, unless thou forces my hoof, stupid oaf. Look at thou, blood-soaked and broken... I cannot tell if thou art animal or brute or just another silly poet like mine own husband.” Scrivener smiled faintly despite himself, and there was silence before Luna leaned forwards, enunciating slowly and clearly: “Come with me.” Cheshire nodded hesitantly after a moment to show that he understood, and Celestia glanced towards Scrivener Blooms as the stallion lingered back a bit, the ivory mare saying quietly aside to him: “Bring him to the library. I know that's where Twilight Sparkle will have headed but... you can send her a message to either leave or... just to prepare her. I don't... I don't believe Cheshire is programmed, though, from the way he's acting. He seemed to respond to your kindness.” “We're going to be careful though. And if he does something, we're going to kick his ass again.” Scrivener said finally, before the stallion shook his head a little and grimaced as he followed in Luna's wake, while Cheshire plodded uncertainly after her, the Replicant whimpering a little, not seeming to enjoy the fact that ponies, Nibelung, and creatures of darkness were all looking at him uneasily. Behind them, Celestia motioned for the others to wait a moment, and Sleipnir smiled wryly and nodded calmly before Rainbow Dash flitted forwards and said moodily: “You know, remind me to never, ever, ever piss those two off.” Pinkamena only chuckled at this, grinning widely. “What are you talking about? I think that's all the more reason to piss 'em off. Gets me all excited to see my friends putting on such a nice little show for us... and now we got a new freak in the family I can have some fun cutting up who won't complain like a little pansy about it.” “Now, phoenix. There is no need to be either jealous or aggrieved. But aye, 'tis a new friend, and we must treat this poor and tormented creature well.” Sleipnir replied firmly, nodding once as he smiled benevolently down at his wife, who only grumbled moodily in response. “Bah, I see it in thy eyes, my sweet darling, thou agrees! Why, this creature has faced awful torment, and then the unspeakable wrath of my beloved little sister and brother in true rage! And if I may speak so, 'twas even more frightening then when thou wert roused, Celestia, for oft Luna is passionate, oft she burns with battlelust, but rarely is she cruel.” “Yeah. I know what you mean.” Antares murmured, and Celestia softened as she looked at the stallion: he looked a little shocked still, and she could see that it was by much more than just Luna and Scrivener's violence. It was the raw power they had displayed, the way their fury had amplified both skill and strength, the glimpse of just what the two were capable of when they held nothing back. He had seen everything that he was supposed to somehow live up to. The group fell silent, no one really knowing what else to add as Antares looked down at the bloody snow. There was only the sound of the night and a few murmured words, before Celestia finally said: “That should be more than long enough. For the moment, let's check on the rest of Ponyville and not crowd Cheshire. He seems to be afraid of us.” There were a few murmurs of consent, and Celestia smiled a little before glancing up quietly, still feeling a little nervous... but at the library, Cheshire was simply sitting on his haunches, gazing raptly around at all the books as Scrivener and Luna tried to soothe a fuming, twitching Twilight Sparkle. Both of them were admittedly a little more than intimidated by her anger, and it didn't help that part of the Lich's skull was showing through burnt-away flesh. “I don't want him near my baby.” Twilight almost growled, and Scrivener and Luna traded awkward looks as Cheshire only looked around, before the Lich added sharply: “Don't forget what he just did! He chased me and our daughter all the way from Canterlot! He should be...” Twilight halted, then glanced away and flushed slightly, and Scrivener and Luna traded awkward looks before they returned their eyes to the violet mare, the stallion asking softly: “You don't really believe that though, do you? I know you better than that, Twilight. Luna's the Valkyrie here, after all... but... I understand that you're... not happy.” The Lich grumbled a little at this, bowing her head silently forwards before she sighed quietly, closing her eyes and finally nodding hesitantly. “Okay. Okay. I just... I'm scared for Innocence. Much less for myself, much more for her. I wouldn't be so upset if he hadn't...” She shivered a little, hugging herself before warily studying Cheshire as the strange creature almost crawled towards one of the shelves, then began to rustle through the books. “What are you even going to do with him? He seems... I mean, he doesn't seem...” She quieted, then sighed softly again and looked over her shoulder at the sound of Innocence starting to cry in the bedroom above. “We can't keep him around here. Around Innocence. He makes me too nervous and he's... I don't think we know how to help him.” Scrivener smiled faintly at this, and then he glanced at Luna, and when the sapphire mare nodded, the stallion gestured to Twilight. The Lich seemed relieved, turning to head up the steps as Scrivener followed in her wake, and Luna sighed after a moment before she turned a mild look towards Cheshire, who was pawing slowly at several books before he managed to knock one free from the shelves. He stared down at it as it hit the ground... and then Luna softened and felt maybe a moment of hope inside herself as the pony, ignoring everything else, gingerly opened the book and leaned down as if to read it. Maybe they had made the right choice after all, with this beaten and tormented animal... but she had a feeling that the other Replicants wouldn't deserve or appreciate such mercy. Top ↑